Cold
by CindyBarnard
Summary: Written for the Quills & Parchment Scandal OS Competition. LM/HG - DM/HG. Hermione is left cold by her lover of two years. When she breaks down who will be the wizard to stand beside her? And what will the wizarding community's reactions be when certain secrets get revealed?


_A/N: General Warnings: The happy ending depends on who you ship in above pairings. Also, there will be some OOCness with Hermione and Draco… sorry for that but wanted to bring certain elements into this story._

 _Beta: draggonsandotters (You are marvelous!)_

 _This was written for the Quills & Parchments Facebook Group OS competition – Prompt: Scandal_

 _It received_ _ **Runner-Up**_ _in the following three categories (Which I'm actually bouncing through the roof for!):_

 _Fan Favourite_

 _Stand Alone_

 _Most Scandelous_

 ** _Cold_**

 _(_ _This Plunny got me as I listened to 'So Cold' by Ben Cocks. I suggest you listen to it while reading the first part of this fic_ _)_

Hermione paced up and down her living room agitatedly; he was late. He was never late. Feeling her wards shift she relaxed, he was here. Hermione turned around and watched as her front door opened to reveal the wizard that at that moment walked into her apartment. His long, straight, blonde hair was tied back in a black ribbon neatly, and her breath caught as the familiar reaction unfurled in her stomach. Raging butterflies along with intensive electricity shot through her body; this wizard alone could evoke such a physical reaction from her being.

Lucius Malfoy stood looking at her after closing the door behind him, his usual smirk not in place.

Hermione didn't notice it as she only launched across the room to plant her lips to his hungrily. She needed him this night even more than the other times. Within seconds his unusual reluctance melted away as he started returning her kisses frantically, his arms encircled her waist to cup her arse cheeks as he pulled her up against him harshly. She circled her legs around his waist and hooked her feet behind him, never once did they break the hungry kiss.

Lucius walked them to the nearest wall where he pressed her back; still, their mouths devoured each other in the battle for dominance as their tongues meshed. Her hands buried into his hair as she discarded the ribbon, soon his smooth locks were disheveled and her hands scrunching fistfuls as she kept his head securely positioned to her lips. Hermione pulled her mouth away to breath into his ear as his lips trailed down her jaw fervently.

"You smell like _her_ —" He cut her off with a growl as he nipped her earlobe. "When we are finished I will smell of you Hermione, and you of me."

She groaned as he sucked on her earlobe, and her hands fisted his hair harshly, "You said she was no one, just a business colleague… yet tonight you certainly seemed the part of lovers Lucius—"

Her wizard only chuckled, and then his lips mashed against her once more as he ground his erection against her, their clothing barely a barrier between them. "Hush… just let it be."

And Hermione let it be, so they continued as they had for almost two years now. Lovers of the night.

LMHG

They were lying entangled together in her bed, just like they did every night. Lucius lived with her for all intents and purposes. He only slept at the manor if he had guests over, otherwise, he would be with her. But it was always at night when no one would know. They both had their reasons for it; she was afraid of her friends' reactions, and Lucius, well she was still muggleborn, and he was still on the slow journey of changing his perspectives. But he was changing.

Hermione stared up at the ceiling in the darkness; she felt uneasy.

It had started when he had entered the ministry reception with Estelle Selwyn clinging to his arm; that witch was needling her way all the more into her lover's life. It started as a business proposition between the Selwyn and Malfoy companies, but the business meetings soon became lunch dates and later even dinner dates. Lucius insisted it was only business, but Hermione was a woman, and women knew when something was brewing.

And so when Lucius entered that reception with the elegant witch hanging off his arm, she knew it had gone past business. It was personal.

A driving need started to fill her as she watched them together for the rest of the reception; jealousy was the only name she could place on what was clawing inside of her. And along with the consuming jealousy came the uncertainty. The feeling of not being good enough…Hermione hated feeling unworthy. She had to stop herself countless times from marching over to him and possessively staking her claim.

She needed him to show her that she was still the witch he wanted. That Estelle was just what he said she was, a business partner.

And that was how she had ended up just throwing herself at him earlier that night; she needed to reassure herself that he was still hers.

Hermione let her thoughts travel to how they ended up together. It had been at the Ministry, of course, as he was an important benefactor to the Ministry. Hermione was head of the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures and busy pushing life-changing bills. Two of her most important bills were for the freedom for werewolves' movement and employment equality, as well as the house elf freedom act. The house elf bill was a bit more complicated, though, as they mostly didn't want to be freed, so basically she just made the necessary changes that allowed elves to be freed should they wish it, along with passing the paid employment bill for all elves. Whether they were free or not.

She had been very glad when the Minister informed her she had received funding for the latest project she had been busy with, although when she met the benefactor, she wished that she could just flip him the bird and walk away.

As it was, she needed the funding. And soon Lucius Malfoy became a regular face in her department as he insisted he be a part of the management of the projects. They fought about everything, every day. The other staff in her department soon started wearing ear mufflers in order to drown out their screaming matches. Although in all fairness, she was the one yelling, whereas Lucius would always just sneer his retaliations in a very quiet almost polite way. She guessed it was that which riled her up so much to start screaming at him to begin with.

It was about six months in with that project that they had sex the first time.

They were in her office, behind closed doors in order to keep their fight private, one of the few times they bothered with it. And Hermione was just about ready to hex him when he cut her of mid-sentence with an angry sneer, grabbing her shoulders and crushing his lips to her in a searing kiss.

They had sex right there on her office table. Lucius hadn't been gentle, and she was sore for a while after.

After that, they avoided each other for two days, no fights and no interaction of any sort. Except for the covert glances, that was. Then finally, on the third day, they couldn't hold it back anymore. Something raw had been awakened within them, some chemistry and passion that could not be avoided. They had sex again then; this time a bit more leisurely, and instead of her office; it had been at an Inn in Diagon Alley. And the rest, as they say, was history. It was just about two years later now, and she was afraid to admit to herself that they were nothing more than each other's dirty little secret. The sad part was the fact that they actually loved each other; their relationship was a relationship that had evolved into real love. In the time they had been together, Lucius Malfoy had become her world and she couldn't see herself without him any longer. There was something addictive about him, a something she couldn't quit. Hermione couldn't help but to face the reality that she loved Lucius Malfoy completely and utterly, there was simply put, nothing she wouldn't do for him. And she knew the feeling went both ways.

Hermione sighed as she once more tried to find a more comfortable position in order to get some sleep, but before she could settle herself once more, Lucius quietly detangled his legs from hers and slid from the bed. Frowning, she pushed herself up to a sitting position as to follow his pale form in the darkened room, though the moonlight that came through the window illuminated the room just enough so that she could still see him, and everything else, clearly.

Her frown deepened as she saw him starting to get dressed; he never left during the night.

Hermione turned on her bedside lamp, which bathed the room in dim golden light, enough so that she could now see his expression. He avoided looking at her as he finished buttoning up his dress shirt; his face remained impassive.

"Lucius…?" His name was whispered when he finally finished dressing. She watched with gnawing trepidation as his shoulders tensed and he turned around to face her.

Her breath caught at the look in his eyes — he hadn't looked at her so coldly since they first started this relationship — and the grim press of his mouth into a thin line. Hermione felt a hammering start up behind her eardrums as the realisation settled about what was about to happen.

"Hermione. I am leaving now, this had been pleasurable, but it is over now. I will, of course, fund the project still, but entrust its management to you alone now. Good night Hermione…" And with that cold speech he turned and left her room and subsequently her apartment. When she heard the front door close, she realised he also left her life.

She sat staring at the bedroom door in dumbfounded shock, then amidst the blood rushing through her ears and the dull throb in her head, she realised there were tears streaming down her face silently. Everything toppled around her — the emotions that she had tentatively developed over the last couple of years, the delicate dreams she had carefully started to construct. Everything was crumbling. Her chest constricted, and she stood up from the bed to try and open up her airways as her breathing started to hitch. Standing naked next to her bed, she clutched the footboard as dizziness enveloped her senses. She couldn't breathe, and it felt like her chest was being split in two with the pain of heartbreak. Blood pounded in her ears, and her head throbbed. Finally, her body gave in, and she collapsed to the ground where sobs wracked her small frame through the quiet of her apartment.

She was alone, left to cry in the cold.

LMHG

Hermione's heart was bleeding tears as she felt the crack widening with each passing day in the chambers of her heart. She tried to go on normally and hide her pain from the world — and especially from her friends.

At first, she put in leave from work for a day, as she found she couldn't function the morning after he had left, but she ended up staying locked in her apartment for the whole week to wallow in her misery. Hermione rationalised that she would give herself that week to be weak, and then she would be the strong war heroine that she knew she was once more. But by Friday afternoon she couldn't take it anymore, she needed a reason. He hadn't given her a reason, and she missed him and needed to hear his voice. They had been together for almost two years, and even though it had been in secret, it didn't mean that they hadn't shared their lives, their love, together. The least he could give her was a reason.

So that was why she sat in front of her floo that afternoon with her gaunt face and trembling hands; she needed a reason, she kept repeating that to herself in order to extenuate her weakness.

"Hermione… you can't call me here. I am not alone—" Hermione blinked in surprise as she took in the wizard standing in front of his floo; he was dressed in casual pants and a button up, indicating whoever was there was personal and not business. He was cut off when a voice Hermione recognised very well called from the hallway. She felt the immediate sting of tears behind her eyes upon realisation, "I- I just needed a reason, Lucius…"

His cold expression faltered momentarily when he heard the catch in her voice, and for a second his eyes showed sadness, but it was instantly covered again in that cold mask with the sneer. "There is no reason. It was fun, and now it is over. Do not call here again Miss Granger."

With that he turned on his heels and walked to the door where Estelle stood watching their exchange. Hermione pulled her head from the fire and wrapped her arms around her small frame, rocking back and forth to calm herself down. She had thought the call might help some, but now it just hurt even more with the realisation that it had given her a reason: Estelle Selwyn. After what seemed like hours of sitting like that, she finally wiped her tears away and stood up. She would return to work that Monday and start picking up the pieces of her life once more.

Lucius was right, it was fun, but now it was obviously over.

LMHG

That second week passed in a blur. Hermione operated on mostly a disassociated state. She walked and talked and smiled automatically, her interactions all rehearsed and autonomous. It naturally meant her friends did realise something was wrong, but luckily they didn't question her. Yet.

When the second Friday AL (After Lucius, as she termed it now) came, it brought with it a front page article in the Daily Prophet that unfortunately brought their dirty little secret crashing out loudly. The article quoted a 'source close to Lucius Malfoy' had leaked the information to them; Hermione knew it was Estelle Selwyn making sure that Hermione got burned for daring to be involved with wizarding royalty.

The front page boasted a picture of Hermione and Lucius together in a muggle park somewhere in London. In the picture, they were sharing a quick kiss before pulling back to turn their heads and smile together at the camera. The image looped over and over again for the whole of wizarding Britain to see. They only had two pictures together; the one that was blasted all over the front page currently was the one that Lucius had in his possession. The article itself was surprisingly accurate; it merely stated that they had been involved in a secret relationship for a few years and that Lucius Malfoy broke it off in order to proceed with his engagement to Miss Estelle Selwyn. The article ended with the ominous message of what would the other two parts of the Golden Trio say to these revelations?

Hermione lowered the Prophet slowly onto her desk. Her hands were shaking, and the blood had drained from her face. She already looked like hell and knew that now she would look even worse. As if on cue, her door burst open to show a pale Harry followed closely by a fuming Ron. Hermione didn't say anything, but she just sat and looked at them wide eyed as they stood in front of her desk.

"Is this true Mione?" Ron spoke first; his face was flushed with anger and his tone harsh. Hermione somehow knew he wasn't angry at her, though — well not completely anyway.

Nodding slowly, she responded, "Yes, I am sorry I didn't tell you… I was afraid of your reactions—" Harry cut her off mid-apology with a watered down smile.

"It's okay Hermione, I would have been too had I been in the same position, but we would support you no matter who you decide to date...Now, so it was him that hurt you, right? Ron, let's go." Hermione frowned in confusion at his words and then even more when Harry promptly turned around to leave her office. "Right Harry, that son of a dementor needs to be put in place… he won't go around hurting our Mione and get away with it—"

Their voices disappeared as they left her office, leaving a stunned Hermione behind. What had just happened? Hermione shook herself from her stupor and ran after them, but when she reached the corridor from her office, they were already gone. With a weary sigh, she returned to her desk. Let them do what they wanted; she didn't care anymore. It wouldn't damp the scandal any less in either case.

The rest of her day was spent hiding out in her office as it was impossible to step out of it. Everyone stared and even openly gossiped about her, and some of the remarks were decidedly hurtful. She hid till late into the eveneing until she was sure that no one else was around anymore before she carefully left her office and floo'd home.

The next morning found another front page article relating to her in the Saturday Prophet.

This time, the picture featured a Harry, Ron and Lucius in a physical brawl. Apparently, Harry and Ron had tracked down Lucius in the Leaky Cauldron and skipped the wand duels to dive straight into fisticuffs. Hermione groaned; typical, over protective Harry and Ron. The article detailed the public fight, which incidentally produced no winner as they were broken up by other Aurors, with a lot of references to Hermione's certain quietness regarding the whole matter. She stayed in her flat for the rest of the day.

Harry and Ginny stopped by briefly to offer their support, and they were followed closely by Ron and Pansy as well. Pansy was the surprising fiancée to Ronald Weasley after a very fiery romance that hit the gossip columns hard for weeks. But Hermione got them to leave as quickly as she could; she wanted to lick her wounds in private. Much too embarrassed to admit, or even indicate, her weakness to her strong Gryffindor friends.

That night she sat on the cold tile floor in her living room, once again hugging her form as she rocked back and forth. This was the first time this whole week where she let herself break down again in the silence of her apartment. Hermione hated her weakness in this breakdown. Silent tears coursed down her cheeks as she let memories of the last two years wrack her mind.

 _They were sitting on a blanket in the park, watching the muggles while she told Lucius some tidbits from her life. They only ever came out in public in muggle London for obvious reasons, she spent those times educating him more on muggle society. He was smiling genuinely as she told him of the time she broke her arm due to the consequences of some accidental magic._

 _Lucius surprised her when he leaned in to kiss her mid-sentence; it was such a soft kiss that it stole her breath away completely. He pulled away and tucked a stray curl behind her ear, "You're beautiful Hermione… I am truly in love with you."_

 _His words shocked her into the state of speechlessness._

 _Slowly a smile spread across her face as she leaned in to kiss him this time. Pulling back, she met his eyes to study the grey depths intently. "And I am in love with you Lucius Malfoy, despite all the odds."_

The memory of the day they professed their feelings to each other swam in her mind — it had been barely eleven months prior. She had let dreams begin to form of the day they would face the masses and be together truly. Dreams she couldn't stop once they started. Dreams about moving in together and attending those blasted Ministry functions side by side. Dreams about them bickering over their differing opinions, only to end the argument in heated kisses. Dreams of them maybe have a little family of their own one day, if the relationship survived. Lucius was young by wizarding standards, and he had confided that he always wanted another child but that Narcissa couldn't have more children, and now he was a widower still in his prime.

It had been such careful dreams, constructed little by little like wisps of smoke gathered into a bottle to look at as they swirled around.

And then the business talks began with Estelle Selwyn.

Beautiful, pure-blooded Estelle Selwyn. She was the heir of the Selwyn family, also part of the elite sacred twenty-eight. They had an illustrious company that rivalled Malfoy Enterprises completely, and Estelle was known as the driving force behind her father and the family business. She had a reputation for being ruthless in getting what she wanted, and being nine years Hermione's senior, she had a certain confidence that could only be gotten with age. The other reason that Hermione detested her, was quite simply, she was the cousin of Dolores Umbridge.

She shook as a chill permeated her body from the cold tile floor, yet she didn't get up. Instead, she continued her rocking while the quiet tears followed its course down her face. She was alone and freezing while he most likely shared a bed currently with _her,_ being held close and warm. She just couldn't figure out what went wrong. He had still told her he loved her the day before the reception from hell, still assured her that Estelle was nothing but a future business partner.

What happened? Why did he just shatter all her dreams while just standing there so cold?

A sob broke from her, and as it sounded around the quiet apartment she jumped up frantically. Looking around she noticed all the little trinkets that had various connections to Lucius, accumulated small things that they had collected. The little jade snake ornament on the coffee table, an ornately framed portrait from a famous muggle artist that she loved against the wall were among a few of the things.

She couldn't tell you afterward what made her snap, whether it had been the raw pain and heartbreak or the anger at the betrayal, either way at that moment she just wanted it all to end. To hell with logic and common sense, she just wanted to yell and scream and let it all out. And that was how she grabbed her wand and pointed it at the little jade serpent, blowing it into splinters that spat all over her living room. Next, she stormed the portrait and pulled it from the wall to throw it to the floor. She was in a mad daze as she slowly worked through her apartment while destroying and throwing everything that she connected to Lucius sodding Malfoy. Jewelry was blasted, clothes were ripped and burned, ornaments shattered…

Finally, she pulled the picture she had of them from her bedside stand. Looking at the picture, she could only feel the ripping pain in her heart. This picture was taken after the other, a week after they had admitted their feelings. In this picture, there was a certain comfort to them that the other one lacked still; this one had them standing next to each other in Paris with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Their hands were clasped together firmly while both of them leaned against each other tightly; the picture loop was of how they tilted their heads to look at each other while loving smiles passed between them. Then he kisses her forehead gently before they look forward again to smile at the camera.

There was something magical about this picture, something so deep and purely elemental.

Hermione felt the haze of fury slowly ebb away, and then, while clutching the picture to her chest, she just sat down on the bed, staring blankly. Two years of her life had been spent with him; loving him… how did you pick up the pieces after something like this? The sheets were ripped, as she wanted to get rid of them as well, the sheets they had slept in together almost every night for almost two years. The exchange sheets were also ripped apart in a pile on the floor in front of the linen cupboard. All the bedding smelled of him, even the cleaned and washed spare sheets.

She just wanted to get rid of his smell, his presence. Her apartment just didn't feel like home anymore.

The quiet was stifling in her almost dark and cold apartment; she hadn't turned any lights on and definitely didn't light the fire. It wasn't home anymore.

Hermione just sat there staring at the wall of her bedroom, the picture clutched tightly against her chest; she didn't hear her floo roar in the living room, even though the apartment was eerily quiet and dark. She only registered the presence in her apartment when her bedroom light was switched on, leaving her blinking furiously in the unexpected glare.

"Merlin — Granger?"

The unexpected voice of her old school rival brought her attention back suddenly. She turned her head to watch as the younger version of her ex-lover picked his way through the scattered debris all over her bedroom floor. The crunch as he stepped on splintered ornaments and jewels the only sounds permeating through the room. Finally, the twenty-eight year old Malfoy reached her; he dropped to his haunches in front of her to look straight into her eyes.

"Granger, you are a wreck…" His voice didn't hold his usual sarcasm, instead, he sounded worried.

She didn't resist as he gently pried the picture from her now limp hand. She vaguely took in how he looked at the picture with a wry sneer before he placed it on her bed stand face down. Then he stood up and took both her upper arms, pulling her up as well. She let him handle her meekly, her mind somewhere else entirely.

"Granger, I'm taking you to my home. You can't stay here… Come on." And with that, he led her from her room to her floo. Once there he stepped in with her and placed an arm protectively around her shoulders as he floo'd them both to his house. Hermione all the while offered no resistance or protestations, she would protest later, but for now, she just wanted to be taken care of for a change.

LMHGDM

Hermione woke up the next morning with a blinding headache and a parched throat, her eyes also felt like they had sandpaper for lids. Blinking to try and moisten them, she started to take in the room around her, and then gaped in surprise as she saw the figure slumping in the armchair right next to the bed. The pale man was fast asleep in the chair, and judging by the awkward angle, he would wake up with a very stiff neck and probably a sore back as well.

She sat up slowly, blinking again as a wave of nausea overcame her for a few seconds, then leaning over to touch Draco's arm softly, "Malfoy?"

At her touch and voice, the younger Malfoy started awake, his eyes widened in obvious surprise upon seeing he had fallen asleep in her room. To try and appease him, she gave him a small smile as she pulled her hand back. Draco sat up straight instantly and smirked at her in an obvious attempt to regain his normal 'Malfoy' composure.

"Glad to see you regained your senses, Granger—" He started with his normal sarcasm but Hermione cut him off by leaning forward to peck a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, Malfoy… You came at a time when I really shouldn't have been alone. So, thank you…" She flushed in embarrassment as the snippets of memories chased across her mind.

Realising that she had truly lost it there the previous night; she lowered her head in shame. Malfoy had found her in the wreck that was her apartment. An apartment she just couldn't face going back to; she would never see it as home again. She heard him clearing his throat awkwardly, and she couldn't blame him. It wasn't as if they were friends specifically. They had made peace some time after the war and would exchange greetings and sometimes small conversation in passing, but that was pretty much it. At least part of the making peace process had included his asking for, and receiving, forgiveness for the years of prejudiced bullying, so they didn't have that little mountain between them anymore.

"Look, Granger, I went to your place to check on you, your silence in light of everything was rather… conspicuous…" He glanced guardedly at her as he spoke, but she didn't respond.

He continued in lieu of her silence, "I wasn't planning on doing anything more, but I realised last night that you are owed a reason. And as my father won't be coming forth, I will give it instead."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the blonde man in confusion. He knew why Lucius did what he did? "What do you mean Malfoy? As far as I know, you and your father hadn't much of a relationship since your mother's passing?"

Draco shrugged with a wry smirk, "Well that is a fact yes. But we do own Malfoy Enterprises together, so I know what is going on." He sat back in the chair to regard her intently while crossing an ankle on his knee. "As it is, the vaults are almost empty Granger… The post-war fines the Malfoy family had to pay were extreme, to say the least. We managed to keep afloat, but the funding father has been contributing to the Ministry — to you — has officially put us in the zero profit margins and is eating away at the little cash flow we maintained."

Draco stood up to pace the floor while running a tired hand through his sleep-tousled hair; Hermione felt the realisation of what he was saying seep over her befuddled mind. "We give work to over five hundred families across Europe. If we fold… well, I am sure you wouldn't want that on your conscious either. Father had to choose between love and money, only this money will save five hundred families. It will also continue your project funding. Father has been your only benefactor, Granger…"

Silence settled over them as Hermione absorbed what he was saying, the familiar dull ache throbbing in her head. "Are you saying that he chose her in order to save the company and continue funding my welfare projects for the werewolves and elves?"

Draco stopped to look at her intently. "Yes, he felt that your projects would be more important to your goals and long term happiness. And neither he nor I wanted to leave five hundred families without income. I might not have much of a relationship with him, but he is not a bad man Granger."

Hermione felt the pain in her chest intensify as she realised he had good intentions, and was still worthy of her heart. "Why didn't he just tell me that?" The whisper escaped her lips before she could bite it back.

"Granger… he — well…we, are not great in love. We Malfoys are shite in all matters of love. He thought it would be better if you hated him, and I will ask you to not let him know that I told you all this." He stepped to the bed and sat on the edge next to her, still keeping intensive eye contact.

She chose to lean back against the thickly padded headboard in exhaustion, at least she felt closure now. "Malfoy… I can't go back." Hermione cringed at the weakness she felt, her clingy voice disgusted her, yet she couldn't help her emotions.

She was surprised when a hand touched her shoulder tentatively, "I know Granger… I saw on the books that father bought the apartment for you… not sure how he convinced you, though." He smirked at her mischievously, and she responded with a roll of her eyes.

"Yes well, it wasn't without a massive argument or arguments… And now I feel even worse since I know he couldn't even afford it technically." Her shoulders drooped in defeat while Draco shook his head in denial.

"Trust me, the purchase of that measly apartment hardly caused a dent in the already failing financial structure of Malfoy Enterprises. Father tried to appease his guilt with the charities, and that was where the true drainage came from. So don't you blame yourself. Father made his own choices." He leaned forward and gave her a stiff hug, the discomfort between them obvious, and yet she returned the hug and somehow knew that their relationship would forever be altered now. "And you can stay here till you decide what you want to do with the apartment. I will have your personals collected later."

LMGHDM

In the weeks that followed, Hermione all but moved into the spare bedroom of Malfoy's townhouse, much to the surprise of her friends. They had all offered her space of course, but she couldn't bring herself to leave Malfoy's house. She didn't want to be the third wheel in her friend's households, and besides, somehow Malfoy was the only one that understood what she needed, and they soon developed a strange comradery.

But one snag made itself known by the time she had been living two weeks with Malfoy. A little complication that she was in no way prepared for.

She had been working long hours, first in and last out at the Ministry every day. It was her method of avoiding too much time with her own thoughts. It was also how she avoided the press and whispering, it appeared that the fact that war heroine, Hermione Granger, being involved in a secret relationship with ex-death eater, Lucius Malfoy, was considered highly scandalous. A week after her impromptu move in with Draco, the wedding date announcement was released for Malfoy Senior and Estelle Selwyn. It was for only six weeks away.

Hermione spent the most of that morning bent over the loo while spilling all her guts with the shock of the announcement. Only the shock of it didn't wear off, and she spent every morning throwing up after that day.

On the fourth Saturday AL, Hermione sat on the cold tiles of the bathroom in Draco's house, once more throwing up. It was as she was pressing her clammy cheek to the cool toilet seat that Draco found her.

His footsteps hurried over as he hunched down next to her. She felt his hand collecting her hair on top of her head as he tried to get it out of the way. "Merlin Granger, how long has this been going on?"

She lifted her head to grin at him in attempted humour; she, of course, knew already what was wrong with her. She was the brightest witch of her age after all. "Oh, this has been happening a week now Malfoy."

He scowled down at her, his own year points were right behind her, meaning he himself was almost just as smart as she, so she waited patiently as he added up and reached the logical conclusion. "Shite… you're pregnant."

With a seemingly bright smile, she nodded in confirmation, although he could see the smile was forced and didn't reach her eyes. Draco sat back on his bum in shock but managed to hold on to her bunched up hair still. Not a word passed between them anymore after that, even when she started heaving again. He merely kept his grip on her hair with one hand while he robotically stroked her back in comfort with his other.

HGDM

They quarreled for over four weeks about her pregnancy. Draco wanted to tell his father, but Hermione refused. Her reasoning was simple. His father was already sacrificing enough to save everyone that would be affected should Malfoy Enterprises go bankrupt, and she didn't want to add to that burden with a child.

She did truly love Lucius Malfoy. Just as she was slowly starting to care for his son as well. Hermione figured that it had something to do with the magnetism she had attributed to Lucius; it was apparently a Malfoy trait. Addiction.

Eventually, Draco conceded defeat, but it didn't bring them closer to what to do next. Draco didn't want the further scandal to the Malfoy name, and Hermione didn't know how to keep her child from Lucius in order to spare him that pain, short of resigning and moving to the continent.

Draco absolutely balked at that idea, the horror that was etched on his face had her almost succumbing to the giggles like a teenager. But it scrapped her idea of disappearing to the continent; Malfoy wouldn't let her go.

He felt that the coming baby was a Malfoy, and he kept to the one absolute rule that Malfoy's stuck together, no matter the circumstances. Hermione slowly came to the realisation of what needed to happen, and yet she had no idea how to broach that subject. How did you ask someone to marry you and claim his half sibling as his own child? Luckily for Hermione, apparently Draco had reached the same conclusion as she by the fourth week. It was now booked as week eight AL in her mental diary, the week before his nuptials to the sophisticated thirty-eight year old Estelle Selwyn.

However things may be, Hermione had returned to her old strong self, and she needed to do what was best for her coming child. And the best would be for the child to grow up with a father and family. She had spent the weeks really turning over all her options, and she had watched Draco. She had opened up to the old school rival and gotten to know him as much as she could, the spoiled bully was long since gone she had realised. She actually found herself slowly feeling alive again, the pain was there yes, but when Draco was being his witty sarcastic self she could almost forget the pain. She would find herself laughing at him and bickering along, and she had found that she was actually excited to come home to the younger Malfoy male.

His house started to feel like home, and she found that she liked that realisation.

They were both sitting around the kitchen island that Saturday morning while drinking their coffee and both reading their copy of the Saturday Prophet. "I do believe this is the first paper since everything happened that does not have any reference or mention to me or any Malfoy at all…"

Her voice was a bit distracted as she spoke without stopping her reading; Draco then lowered his own paper with a resolute expression and cleared his throat uncomfortably to gain her attention. Hermione looked up from where she had been reading her copy as it lay flat on the counter top.

"Listen, Granger, I have been wracking my brain about the… situation… and there really is only one thing that will let it work out favourably. For all concerned." He tried to shift himself more comfortably as he attempted to avoid her eyes.

Her silence prompted him to go on. "We have to get married… and I claim the baby as mine. We can say that we became friends while you and Father had your…thing. And when things broke down between you two, I comforted you and one thing led to another, and you got pregnant."

He was so uncomfortable that Hermione wanted to take pity on him by letting him know that she had reached the same conclusion, but he rushed on before she could open her mouth. He obviously thought he had to convince her.

"I mean, the genetics will be mostly the same, just minus the Black part, so I am sure looks wise the child will be convincingly ours. Also, then father can be part of his child's life without him ever being the wiser, and the child can grow up being the Malfoy it is. I will be the half-brother biologically, but I am sure if I raise it from birth, I will love it as my own child and not as a sibling…"

Hermione stood up and walked around the island to stand next to him. He glanced at her warily. Taking his face in her palms, she leaned forward to place a soft kiss on his mouth, then she rested her forehead against his, still cupping his cheeks. "Yes … Draco… I have learned to appreciate you and care for you. I trust love will follow eventually. And if you take care of this child as you have taken care of me these last six weeks, then I know this child and I will be loved."

He breathed a sigh of relief, and she felt him relax against her, their foreheads still resting against each other. "I care about you as well, Hermione, kind of always had a thing for you in all honesty…" he chuckled dryly at that, "I just know that when I found you that night, I —" A shudder ran through his body, and he lifted his hands to rest on her upper arms with a gentle grip. "— I don't know, I just know I never want to see you like that again. It wasn't right seeing Hermione Granger broken like that, and I knew that night that I had to get you to smile again. I will care for you and our child, Hermione. I promise you that."

She pressed her lips against his again, but this time it touched on being more than just a chaste kiss. It was soft and gentle and lasted for a few seconds. A slow burn started in her belly just as she cut off the kiss, a smile on her lips as she realised that love _would_ grow between them. All they ingredients for love were there in copious amounts already. She also didn't miss that he referenced the child as theirs; she and her child were in safe hands.

"And you did make me smile again, Draco… you get me to smile for real every day since I moved in here."

HGDM

The next Saturday found Hermione and Draco sitting next to each other in the front row seats as they witnessed the wedding ceremony between Lucius Malfoy and Estelle Selwyn. Their hands clasped tightly together as they leaned in against each other, and seeming to all the world to be a perfectly happy new couple. Only Draco knew the strained muscles that jumped on her shoulders. Only he knew the tremor that shuddered through her body when the final bonds were observed and absorbed into the older couple's clasped hands. Only Draco felt the pain of the death grip she had on his hand during the entire ceremony, making it feel like she was slowly breaking the little bones one by one.

He didn't falter, though.

To the world, he whispered sweet nothings in her ear, while in actual fact he was whispering silent encouragement, as she smiled seemingly approvingly at the couple being bonded before them. To the world, they were a new couple in love. And although the eyebrows were raised at their quick blossoming love after her disastrous affair with the Malfoy patriarch, it wasn't said aloud as they at least didn't do it secretly. Their public relationship seemed to garner more support as it was seen as them doing it honestly. The fact that he was also an ex-death eater was suspiciously not an issue this time. Perhaps because it was old news now since it was scandalised so much after the affair between her and Lucius? Or it could be the fact that Harry Potter had issued a statement that week to say that if anyone dared defame her character or choices further, they would meet the Boy Who Lived Twice personally in the courtroom in a lawsuit. Either way, the gossipers were decidedly a lot more positive with the news this time around. It had been a hectic week. They'd let it slip that they had been living together from almost right after her and Lucius' split and making appearances together to cement the story of their relationship. And in order to make it all truly real, Hermione had to be at the wedding as Draco's official girlfriend.

After the ceremony, Hermione stayed by Draco's side as he performed his duties as the son of the groom. Lucius avoided all eye contact with her and only nodded coolly and politely at her when she was introduced as Draco's girlfriend. Estelle didn't even sneer, in fact, she was rather polite and spared a quick smile for Hermione; it confused the younger witch completely. Maybe Estelle wasn't evil per se, just a true Slytherin that used cunning to achieve her wanted end? However it may, she would be the 'step-grandmother' of her child and therefore they would need to form some sort of truce. Also, her money was saving Malfoy Enterprises and all those workers, as well as continuing the funding for Hermione's welfare projects. As much as she wanted to hate the witch, she had to swallow it and be grateful for it, no matter how archaic she found these political and financially arranged marriages.

They stayed just long enough as was socially acceptable before they left for their home.

That night Hermione had snuck into Draco's room where she climbed in beneath his sheets completely naked. Their lovemaking was slow and soft. He brought her to bliss a few times that night with his gentle yet passionate ministrations. Afterward, she lay curled into his side without saying a word, and he remained quiet as well while the hand that was holding her against his side trailed softly up and down her arm.

Hermione knew she would sleep with him from that night on.

HGDM

Two months later, the announcement was published in the Daily Prophet that the Malfoy heir had married the war heroine, Hermione Granger, in a small, private ceremony attended only by their direct families and closest friends. The picture showed an obviously happily smiling Hermione as she was dancing with her new husband, the latter was looking down at his bride in an almost adoring way. Her hands were around his neck, and the picture loop showed her fingering his hair delicately. His hands were around her waist where a thumb caressed the skin of her open lower back; they were pressed flush against each other as they moved slowly to the song.

There was a certain emotion that was caught in the photograph that left no doubt in the minds of anyone that a tender love was between the two.

HGDM

Another article appeared in the Daily Prophet almost six months later, this time the picture showed Draco and Hermione Malfoy standing in the lobby of St Mungo's. Hermione was waving at the photographer while Draco had one arm securely around his wife's shoulders. Cradled in Draco Malfoy's other arm was a wrapped pink bundle that was held very gently by the obviously proud new father. The article read that the young couple welcomed their daughter, Lyra Hermione Malfoy, into the world the previous night.

Luckily for them, her pregnancy had gone overdue, which successfully squashed any quiet murmurings that were still being whispered behind closed doors.

HGDM

 _3 Years Later_

The birthday party for Lyra was held in the Malfoy Manor gardens that year. The three-year-old girl was running around trying to catch one of her grandfather's white peacocks, and that grandfather was chasing after the little girl in an attempt to distract her from his prize peacocks.

Hermione was sitting on the patio while cradling her sleeping son against her chest; Estelle sat next to her while casting constant cooling charms on herself. She was really struggling with the heat in her advanced state of pregnancy; Hermione felt sorry for the older witch.

They were waiting for all the guests to arrive as the party was only due to start in another half an hour — to kill the time until then, the family had decided to spend some time together. Hermione turned her attention back to her little girl. Her blonde curls were bouncing with her awkward toddler trot, and her grey eyes sparkled in glee as the game was changed. Now she was instead running away from her grandfather, Lucius played along laughingly. He adored Lyra.

Hermione noticed with a smile as the proud white peacocks slunk off quietly to the other side of the manor. They obviously knew an escape window when they saw one.

Her attention swiveled to the man who was leaning against a tree trunk at the back of the lawn; he was watching his daughter and her grandfather with a contemplative look on his face. A natural smile spread across her features as she studied the man she had married amidst great controversy three and a half years prior. Hermione stood up and gently placed the sleeping baby into his portable crib next to her as she addressed Estelle, "Will you keep an eye on Scorpius please, Estelle?"

At the other witch's nod and smile, Hermione made her way quietly toward her husband. As she reached him, she went to lean against the same tree but on the other side. They both watched their daughter and Lucius in silence for a few minutes.

"Do you regret it, Hermione? Especially when you see them like this?" His voice was quiet, almost unsure. So completely un-Malfoy.

Hermione angled to watch her husband next to her instead, peeking at him around the trunk. Draco followed suit, and they both studied each other for a few seconds, then a slow smile spread across her face.

"No… Lyra is our daughter, you are her father. Lucius is her grandfather." A matching smile slowly made its way onto her husband's face then. "And you, do you regret marrying me Granger?" he asked.

Hermione stepped around the trunk to lean into him, "No… I love you. Lucius chose money. Don't get me wrong, I understand why and I can never hold it against him. But still, he chose money. You chose me. And now I choose you… Three and a half years later, and I can honestly say you are the love of my life, Draco Malfoy. I will choose you every day forever more."

Their lips met in a lingering kiss that was so full of love that the energy of it could be felt by everyone around them at that moment. It was a forever kiss.

LMHG

A few meters away, Lucius had stopped chasing Lyra to look at his son and daughter in law. He saw them as they kissed each other lovingly and let the longing he felt momentarily flash in his eyes, he dreamed of that love she once bestowed on him, but he had to accept that she now bestowed that love, and more, on his son. At least his son deserved her; there weren't a lot of wizards that would raise their own father's child as their own… Yes, his son had made him more proud than he had ever been.

Lucius knew that Lyra was his biological child, he was a smart man and he could do math. Also, he knew Hermione, he would always love her and along with that love he could easily predict her character and subsequent choices. He knew she wouldn't have slept with his own son in rebound, which meant she didn't get pregnant by his son. She had already been pregnant when Draco comforted her, and they had decided to instead love each other and made sure his child was, even if only in the smallest way, a part of his life. But he had to bury that love for the younger witch, for he was the Malfoy patriarch, and therefore he had been raised to make sacrifices for the greater good of the family and the family responsibilities. Lucius shuttered his eyes once more and returned his attention toward his child again; he lived for these moments he could have with his daughter, for later he would have to remember that she can only ever be his granddaughter.

Laughing buoyantly, Lucius Malfoy picked up the squealing toddler as he blew raspberries against her chubby pale cheeks.

Her happy laughter carried over the lawns in adulated joy of all the love she received from her grandfather on her third birthday.

 ** _The End_**


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